


Fool the king

by aucellaq



Series: Fool the king [3]
Category: Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper (2004)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Femslash, Hurt/Comfort, Pining, any tw mention goes before the chapter, fool the king au, no beta we die like men, no lesbians die ever
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:02:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26305306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aucellaq/pseuds/aucellaq
Summary: Anneliese could not let go of that moment. Each time she thought back to it, her stomach filled with butterflies and her head spun. She remembered the beautiful voice that had lured her close, though the words and melody was quite forgotten now, for all she saw now were those lips, forming each syllable like a pair of hands shaping a pot.If she could, she’d live in that memory forever.----Continuing the Fool the King series, we get a look into how the differences between upbringings have shaped the women´s points of view. There is still a long way to go before Erika understands the life of royalty, just as Anneliese still has much to learn about a paupers existence.
Relationships: Anneliese/Erika (Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper)
Series: Fool the king [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1340668
Comments: 12
Kudos: 22





	1. Useless without you

**Author's Note:**

> so uh, thank my friend for the update, after she found out i'd written more but never published it and forced me to go and do just that. maybe i'll be more consistant and actually finish this, but who knows. the comments and kudos for sure help me keep this little baby growing. I may actually have the ending in mind now, so if you want more, go on and harass me in the comments
> 
> i also finally decided to make it into chapters, instead of all individual stories. as i'm finally putting together a plot with this, i might as well.
> 
> tw: anxity attacks (anneliese gets kind of hazy and loses a few moments, it isn't entirely dealt with right away)  
> tw suicide mention (very very small and unassuming, but i want the warning in here for safety)

On that first night spent in the King´s guest chambers, sleep was a fickle and difficult thing to get a grip on. Erika had insisted the small servant´s cot was cruelly small, especially when the master bed more than doubled it in space.

“Even with Madam Carp I didn’t have to cram into such a small space,” she’d explained, “Besides, we’ve already shared it once today, why not for the night, too?” And Anneliese was just too tired to argue it. The dinner had taken the toll on her, forced to stand in the background of the dining hall, only sating her growling stomach with snacks whenever she was fetching a new plate for her Princess. The other servants had invited her to eat with them once the masters withdrew to the lounge for tea and heavier drinks, but the look on Erika´s face had made her decline, instead escorting her Princess back to their chamber to rest. And now, they were both in bed. Anneliese had found rest first, but into the night had awoken. The unfamiliar surroundings and too sweet smells unsettled her, she tossed and turned with no avail in her heart, and no way to quiet her mind.

The introduction to the King had gone well and so had the dinner. Even after Erika shook the King´s hand firmer than Anneliese would have ever dared, and slipping up, calling him ‘highness’ instead of ‘majesty’ more than a few times, she sensed no disgust nor suspicion in the man as he offered an escort to dinner. Though the pauper in disguise had been wobbly with nerves as she approached the first meal, she’d quickly fallen into a failsafe routine of eating as she listened and speaking as others ate. Anneliese had to hold back a cheer as she saw her picking up knives and spoons like a born noble. She’d been fizzling with pride, but now? Now it was something else, something that haunted her to the very core, and it made her heart feel unsafe in her chest.

Without Erika, none of this would have been possible. The kingdom of Twain, the home Anneliese had sworn to protect, would have collapsed to bankruptcy or fallen under the rule of a stranger nobody could predict. It was Erika who suggested a closer look, who said Anneliese was the only one who could read him right, and who worked her hardest to get this right.

Something had brought them together, that day in the marketplace. Julian´s decision to take her out, let her see the people in true light, had brought her to an even bigger world. The moment they locked eyes, recognizing a mirror looking back, their fates were set forever.

Anneliese could not let go of that moment. Each time she thought back to it, her stomach filled with butterflies and her head spun. She remembered the beautiful voice that had lured her close, though the words and melody was quite forgotten now, for all she saw now were those lips, forming each syllable like a pair of hands shaping a pot.

If she could, she’d live in that memory forever.

The door to the chamber opened and shut, quick and without announcement.

Anneliese rolled out of bed, almost falling to the side, and jumped for the box with her brown wig, haphazardly throwing it on before even opening her eyes. The chamber was still dark as night, so it didn’t matter much. Immediately a greater panic struck her.

Erika.

She nearly sprang back to the bed, but knew there were other measures in place that may still save them.

Anneliese stood up straight and without preamble announced to the dark room. “You have entered chambers guesting Princess Anneliese of Twain, state your name and why you enter without proper allowance or the guards will be called immediately!”

Realistically, if this were an attack, the guards would not be close enough without having heard the door smack, but it was all she had.

“Don’t! It’s me.”

Anneliese knew that voice.

“Erika?”

Anneliese shuffled around the bed. Now that she was more used to the dark, she noticed bedfellow was indeed gone, and she hurried to the door.

And there was Erika, without her wig and in her own clothes again. Anneliese was quick to find a candle and light it, letting the slowly growing glow reveal their faces. Erika had spots of crumbs and grease around her mouth and on her chemise and stays. Her face was red, but she didn’t look scared, rather flushed.

“Erika,” Anneliese repeated, completely flabbergasted, “What’s this? Where have you been?”

The once pauper shrugged and made a move to pass her, and the princess was too shocked to stop her.

“I’ve just been to the kitchens,” she explained loosely, moving to the chests and closets to undress, but undoubtedly also to keep her back turned. “The dinner was lovely, but hardly fulfilling when the King kept interrupting me with questions. They had my plates removed before I even had two bites!”

Anneliese had only just turned around, allowing the candlelight to properly give them the scenery of the chamber. She put it on a small table meant for decoration, ignoring how close the flame was to the plant – at least the windows weren’t open, so as long as nobody pirouetted nearby, they should be safe.

Erika was getting into the side strings of her stay, pulling them out with nimble ease. Normally there were servants around to help with that, but without services like those growing up, of course she hadn’t needed it. Anneliese picked at her own fingers, holding herself back from breaking in to assist. It was, after all, supposed to be her job to assist the Princess. But when the “princess” had apparently been sneaking to the kitchens without her wig and without her false pauper, then what was Anneliese supposed to be?

As Erika was down to her chemise, sitting on the bed to remove her shoes and stockings, Anneliese came closer, clutching herself.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have gotten it for you.”

“You were sleeping,” Erika said sweetly, only turning her head a little, not enough to glance her lips, “You worked so hard to make me come across a proper Princess tonight; I didn’t dare wake you.”

“But…”

“Anneliese.”

Erika stood up, freeing her hair as she went. She went to the vanity for better view when brushing it. The gentle flow of her brown locks was like soil before seeding, so fresh and lush and soft to touch.

Before this whole ordeal had begun, the once pauper had suggested to just cut it short and spare the process for the wig. Anneliese hadn’t let that suggestion see the light of day. The mere idea of losing this sight put an ache in her heart.

More than anything, right now, she wanted to run her fingers through it until they were both back asleep in bed, this instance forgotten. Like it never happened.

But it had, and she was afraid the other woman didn’t see the severity of it.

“Erika,” Anneliese said, hating herself for even talking. “You put yourself in danger, going out without the wig, without help.” _Without me_ , her mind screamed, but she couldn’t get herself to say it. Her hurt didn’t matter. “You’ve seen me ask for food to be brought up a million times before, you didn’t have to go anywhere at all! What if someone saw you?”

Erika had been brushing the same lock of hair for too long now, it would soon start to pull instead of detangling it. Finally, she put the brush down, instead resting her hands on the vanity table. With the light only in her back, Anneliese could not see her face in the mirror, but she heard her sigh quite clearly.

“Then they’d seen a servant in the kitchen, what harm would that have done?”

“What if they thought you were stealing?” Anneliese pressed.

“From leftovers the servants usually eat? They’d rather asked for a bite themselves if anything. What are you making such a fuzz over Anneliese?”

She sounded tired. Not the sort of tired a night of rest took care of, but the sort of tired that just wanted things to move faster. The Queen sounded the same after a day of long councils with Preminger. Usually, the tone alone made Anneliese back down, because it meant things would get fixed eventually.

This felt like ignorance made it worse.

Anneliese came closer, and closer and closer still, until her fumbling hands were inches from touching Erika´s hair. She didn’t though, in fact, she didn’t let her hands touch anything. Instead, she leaned forward so that her forehead would rest on Erika´s shoulder, so that her rattled sigh went through them both.

“We’re supposed to work together,” she said, her voice so small even a pinprick-sized violin would drown her out. “You and I, fooling the king together to save the future of Twain.”

She felt her body begin to shake, quaking like a brittle little thing meant to fall apart too soon. It was followed by rolling pearls of tears down her cheeks, burning her eyes without control as she clutched herself harder. A phantom of the hug she barely deserved.

As her world was falling apart seam by seam, she did not notice as the shoulder moved away, only that she was actually falling for just a second, but then caught by two hands and a pair of lips whose voice she knew like her heart.

“Anneliese – Anneliese! Come here and sit, come on. Please.”

The voice grew faint and out of reach. The hands on her arms were fading and she hardly felt herself sit down. She knew only her own body and the convulsions that grasped it, as she tried and tried to take back control but failed. In her mind, even though realistically it was impossible, she was still falling and falling. There was no bottom because there had been no top and she was perfectly still, but that only made it worse.

That only meant the fear had nothing to cling to.

The hardest part was to stay in her own body, but there was something clutching around it, keeping her down and holding her so close, she eventually felt her limbs come back to her control.

Little by little, she stopped falling and knew for certain she was sitting. On the bed in the guest chamber, Erika right beside her, holding her so close and oh so stubbornly.

And she was singing. Anneliese didn’t quite hear the words or the melody, but the voice was there, and it sated her at last.

“E-erika?” she stammered.

The other woman nearly gasped and pulled away, to Anneliese´s great regret, but did not let her quite go. Her hardened hands still clutched her arms, and her crumbed and greasy face was now wet and stained with fear.

“Are you alright? I didn’t know what was happening, I just kept holding you hoping you would be alright and then I started singing and I don’t know if that was better or worse of if –“

“Erika,” Anneliese said, stopping her stream of worry. “What happened?”

The woman blinked a few times, fear turning into confusion. “What do you mean? You broke into tears and said all kinds of nonsense about lips and music and butterflies and – what do you mean with what happened? Are you okay?”

Anneliese, finally having the sanity to catch her breath, tried to think of an answer. Was she? She wasn’t lost or crying anymore, but she couldn’t say how she felt before either. Bad, certainly, but that was mostly it. Like she’d blacked out after reaching Erika by the vanity. She felt heavy, like her body was stone but not strong enough to carry herself.

“I feel exhausted,” she said. Erika nodded sagely.

“Right, then let’s get you to bed. It’s much too late anyway.”

Like clockwork, a list of all the arrangements and duties of the next day started popping up in Anneliese´s head, all ready and eager to be checked off. Normally it helped her stay grounded, but now it was more foreboding. The first day was over, but there were so many more left. So many more chances of disaster, from more than just discovery. The list turned into a string of things that could go wrong, and it poked and pulled at her while Erika fuzzed around making the bed ready again.

“Here, it’s still warm on your side.”

The words broke through enough for Anneliese to crawl down and lay on her side, head hitting the pillow softer than she felt. Erika pulled up the covers and furs and lay down just a foot across her, face to face and eye to eye, and hers did not shut right away. Neither of them had blown out the candle, and neither of them moved to do so, not while they could still see each other in the soft glow.

“Anneliese, I truly was just getting some food. I would never attempt this plan without you – I’d be lost. You must know that.”

The Princess pulled the covers to her face, covering her mouth. “You could,” she mumbled.

“Sorry?”

The tears were threatening to come back. Anneliese pressed her eyes shut, pushing it back down again.

Erika reached for her. “Anneliese? Are you falling out again? What’s going on, please tell me!”

Anneliese took a harsh breath, fighting the urge to drown herself in the bed sheets and be done with it.

“Anneliese!”

“No!”

She breathed in and out, quick and controlled to force herself back on track, back to what mattered the most. She opened her eyes and looked into Erika´s.

Blue like her own, but so different and so much more. More than she could ever be.

“Anneliese, why are you crying?”

“Because – “ she took a hollow breath, pushing the sheet down, “because I’m scared you could do this without me. That I’m useless and that all my skills are just for show. For so long you’ve survived while I’ve lived in leisure. What am I worth when such pristine people as you are around?”

Erika stared at her, mouth open and eyes wide. Then she grabbed her face, pulling them so close together their breaths mingled like a fog and a mist. Both such threatening and harmless things. So much more than they were.

“Your guilt is making you delirious, how often must I tell you this? You are not useless, your skills are an asset for this to succeed and for Twain to even have a future to speak of, but so what if it wasn’t? So what if you were useless? You alone are still so much more, if not to the King or his stupid kingdom, then to me.”

Anneliese could not fathom a response. Words crippled before they could leave her mouth and would only turn into more sobbing. She grabbed Erika´s hand on her face and held it tightly. Erika pulled her whole body closer, holding her until they both fell into an exhausted sleep together.


	2. Words worth more than gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they followed the white brick path that surrounded the gardening, the hidden princess grew more and more frustrated trying to catch just a hint of their conversation. It hurt her stomach to be so deserted, so far away and shut out. If only the nobles would quiet down, and ever better if they stopped walking in such sporadic patterns. She never had an unobstructed view of the couple – if one could even call them that – and it got in the way of the plans.  
> How was she supposed to learn of the king´s true intentions when she couldn’t even see him?
> 
> \--  
> We follow the plot more closely as Anneliese tries to do her part but cannot seem to succeed. Is something in the way, other than obnoxious nobles? We'll find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two updates in one day?? have i gone insane??? well, maybe, but i certainly got on a sudden roll and threw away those dang worries about whether this is good enough. i think i just have to start chugging it in when im done, otherwise i'll never update again

No one knew when the visit was meant to end. How long did courtship take? When was it completed? Who decided if it had failed? And what then?

It had been a week now, and Anneliese felt no farther than they’d been on the first night, which had undoubtedly been the worst. She’d been embarrassed waking up the following day, remembering what she’d said and how she’d been freaking out. Her face had hurt from crying and her heart was too heavy to speak of it, no matter how Erika tried. She just told her to stand still while she tied in the stays and fitted the skirts.

There had been more dinners and afternoon strolls with the king, of course never without an array of servants and friends of the king following closely behind. Anneliese had never realized the kind of entourage that was required could be such a nuisance.

It was midday, sunny and warm, yet Anneliese was sweating so hard she gave thanks every second that her uniform was a dark shade of blue.

Today´s dress for the stroll had been carefully chosen to fit the weather without being too revealing. The fabric and pattern were meant to breathe in. Tight enough to show her figure, but loose enough so that the slightest wind would soothe her. It was very much as pink and glittery as everything else in Anneliese´s wardrobe, but on Erika it looked so different. It was hard to look away.

From this distance, as they entered a garden of roses and cherry blossom trees, Anneliese couldn’t possible hear what the king was saying that had Erika smiling so widely. It didn’t help that she was stuck walking with the other servants, in the very back and with a wall of chatting nobles blocking the way.

As they followed the white brick path that surrounded the gardening, the hidden princess grew more and more frustrated trying to catch just a hint of their conversation. It hurt her stomach to be so deserted, so far away and shut out. If only the nobles would quiet down, and ever better if they stopped walking in such sporadic patterns. She never had an unobstructed view of the couple – if one could even call them that – and it got in the way of the plans.

How was she supposed to learn of the king´s true intentions when she couldn’t even see him?

Words of passing conversations among the nobles started to get past her focus, especially once they started talking about the princess. About her.

“Did old Dom even seem excited this morning? He was there, certainly, but something was off.”

“You’re right! He did seem, well, distracted.”

“Perhaps he wasn’t looking forward to another walk with the Twain girl. I mean, I wouldn’t blame him. Another princess from a bankrupt kingdom seeking for financial stability; the man may never find himself a good queen like this.”

“Oh, how you say it, Lord Boran! Isn’t it a little harsh?”

“Harsh? Look at them! Our king is the most charming and handsome man in the kingdom, but even he cannot make her open up for anything but eating. If we didn’t know better, she might’ve been a mute! Doesn’t she care for her own kingdom? At least enough to entertain him as much as he does her.”

As angry as it all made Anneliese, as hard as her fists were clenching and her arms shaking with rage on behalf of Erika, what the lord said did get through. Erika did not speak much during dinners, and even with the bad view, Anneliese still noticed how much the king dominated their conversations. He may as well could be speaking to a piece of furniture with how little she engaged.

Was he not letting her speak? Or was she just not talking? Anneliese wondered still what he was saying, if he was a very boring man or perhaps very offensive, or if something was so wrong with her friend that even the mission couldn’t keep her on track.

When the walk came to an end, King Dominic bowed to Erika and asked if he should escort her to her chambers, and perhaps come collect her before dinner as well?

Anneliese´s heart surged. This was the perfect opportunity to have even the slightest time by themselves. Alone the distance between the guest wing and the dining hall would make for plenty room so Anneliese could actually listen and learn, which is why she nearly dropped when Erika turned him down.

It was painful, going back to the bedchamber and closing the door, shutting them inside all alone. This could have been the time they sat and strategized for when the King would come and collect her. What to wear, how to open the door, how to thank him for the kind offer. But now there would be none of that, and the time between now and dinner would only stretch even longer. She could not stay quiet anymore.

“Erika, how could you turn him down? It was the perfect opportunity!”

She had not meant it so roughly, and hadn’t realized how well she mimicked her mother´s disappointed tone. Erika reacted just as expected, by turning her back and going for the vanity to brush her hair. Even the wig needed care now and then, but this wasn’t the goal.

Anneliese nearly told her everything. What she’d heard from Lord Boran, all the terrible things they assumed of her. It should be embarrassing to know this was how they thought of the princess, and Erika should know it, but she couldn’t ring herself to it. Wasn’t it enough that she had to deal with all of Anneliese´s fussing? All her anxiety and outbursts? It shouldn’t be hers to bear when she already bore the crown.

“I’m sorry,” Erika finally said, “I’ll do better.”

Anneliese did not remember what dress she picked out, or whether she’d bound the stays too tightly or picked the wrong shoes to go with it. Once Erika was dressed for dinner, she left by herself and Anneliese didn’t think about protesting it. She felt hollow, but thought there was no fill vast enough to fix it.

Somehow, she found herself heading down for the barracks. Racing to make up an excuse for herself, she decided to check in with the guards. She hadn’t made entirely sure they were treated properly, and wanted to see to it. Yes, that was why she went there. Made total sense.

It was quite the task to actually locate them, but once she saw they were merrily sitting around tables with Dominic´s people, she knew they were fine. They didn’t need her supervision at all.

In the hustle to get back before dinner ended, she nearly forgot there was one more person around from Twain.

“How are things coming along my girl?”

Stunned, Anneliese nearly tripped leaving the barracks. The old greying voice had such a close home in her heart she could curse herself for forgetting, but the soft smile of her carrier was so forgiving she forgot forgetting. Sam, the oldest person in the staff and such a dear friend of the family. Been there since both Anneliese and the Queen were young, and no matter how they tried to elevate his position, he continued happily as a carrier. He could have been both horsemaster and a top councilman if he wished, but so long as he picked which horse pulled the carriage, he never asked for more. Of course, he recognized her through the disguise when the guards didn’t, no one would know her like he did.

Anneliese didn’t realize how much she’d missed him, so when he reached out a hand and put it on her shoulder, just giving it a single clench, she melted in the comfort and followed him.

Between the barracks and stables was a large plot of dirt parted in two. One side for the soldiers to spar and exercise in, and the other for servants to mingle. There was little activity right now, with dinner coming soon, so there was room for two friends to sit and talk, without being overheard.

“Now,” Sam said as they settled down, “why don’t you answer my question first, then we can take a look at what’s bothering you.”

Anneliese looked at him startled. “Bothering me? Nothing! Nothing is bothering me. I’m just, very busy with the plan.”

“Ah yes, the great plan. What is it, anyway? To marry off your friend instead of yourself so you can be free of it?”

She said nothing, first considering if he should know the truth, then wondering if what he was saying was the truth. She did not want to be married, though that was the plan. Could this be her way out?

He squinted, pursing his lips so tight they might stick together, but then he shook his head, the smile returning to his kind face.

“No, that isn’t you. You care for Twain too much.”

“I do, I would never abandon it so selfishly.”

“No, you would not.” But he kept looking at her, and his eyes said a million words she had heard a million times. He knew her like she knew a mineral, not quite intimately, but enough on the surface to recognize the truth. “But you’re still afraid. How do you see this ending?”

“I … with a marriage, of course.”

“Between you and the king.”

“Of course.”

“And your friend?”

Again, she had no response, only a knot in her throat trying to choke her.

What about Erika? Once the job was done, she would be positioned as court tailor and continue to make beautiful dresses, or would she not want that? She wanted to sing, so perhaps she would leave, and Anneliese would let her, to let her realize her true talent as an opera singer and let everyone love and adore her.

And Anneliese would be queen and Twain would be saved. Everything would be well, everyone would be happy.

Right?

Sam touched her again, this time her hand, which was now racked with little cuts and scrapes that singed when touched. But under Sam´s warm touch, the pain didn’t feel as burning.

“I know it’s an open secret that I overhear almost everything inside the carriage, staying ignorant is just part of my job, but I feel negligent if I don’t say anything. You clearly are about this girl, so this whole plan of yours cannot feel good.”

“That doesn’t matter,” she protested, finally finding words she knows to speak. “What I feel, what I want – that isn’t my or anyone´s concern. I have a duty to Twain.”

“And so do I, but if my duty only brought me pain, I would leave before it broke me.”

“Oh Sam! If you’re unhappy, you know just to let mother or I know and we will –“

“I’m fine where I am princess, don’t you worry.” Her heart surged when he addressed her like that, and he must have noticed, as he held her hand a little tighter. “But it would break me just as soon if I were forced to watch you so clearly unhappy as now.”

“I …”

“Say what you will, but you are a person too. And even as a princess, if you’re not at your best, what about the people? They’d see your sadness and think all was lost, and soon we’d fall into disarray. They love you, they want your happiness as well as their own.”

“Sam, I have to marry the king. If not, how could I ever return home?”

He seemed to think, so much she could almost see the thoughts flopping about in his head until the right one came through.

In his sagely old voice, he told her: “They say silence is golden, but there are times when words are worth more than gold. I think you have both been keeping each other out. Talk to her, not about your fears, but your feelings. I think the reaction might surprise you.”

Anneliese was conscious of each step, each turn, and each breath she made on the way back up the guest wing. She tried her very hardest to stay focused, repeating the words from Sam to stay on task. Not the task to fool the king, but the one that would really save the kingdom. Why did it have to take someone else for her to realize that? Nothing prospered under an unhappy leader. She’d been the real fool here.

Confidence renewed, she marched to the bedchamber door and nearly went right in, when she noticed it was ajar.

Once again, she froze with fear of another intruder, but never got the chance to even consider it another fluke, before hearing the voices of two people inside. Laughing.

She heard not a word of what they said, only that it was from the one person she was forced to love, and the one she did.

She did not go inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> communication is very important barbie


	3. Straying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back a few hours, we look at the other side of their pair, learning the troubles and fears of Erika, as she juggles with keeping up the disguise as Princess as well as her straining relationship to the actual princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...hey? it's been a while, and im sorry. i cant promise a consistent schedule, only that my dumb brain wouldn't let me stop thinking about updating this story until the shame got heavy enough to make it happen. so, i'll finish this, at some point

Erika returned from the dinner alone.

Once she shut the heavy door of the guest chamber behind her, she finally dared breathe like herself again; loudly, and full of complaint. Never had she imagined a simple dinner could take so much out of her, but without Anneliese present it was remarkably harder to focus. She’d even accidentally turned down the offer to join the other guests for tea and casual chats afterwards, therefore forcing her to resign early and go back by herself. The King had seemed puzzled, but there wasn’t much she could have done.

As she went to remove the jewelry and nimbly take off the tiara, her mind traveled back to the worst faults for this night. She’d unknowingly let her elbow rest on the table after having a sip of sweetberry wine, and if that weren’t bad enough, while one of the King´s consorts had retold a hunting story, she’d laid her cheek against her hand and allowed her eyes to slit. It was purely a habit from home, sitting with Bertie after a rather stressful day and unwinding. Bertie wouldn’t complain even if she had both elbows up to rest on, but once the third person in a powdery wig and way too red cheeks had glared her way, she knew she’d screwed up and immediately corrected herself.

During their practice sessions, where they set up how to behave at the table of a king, the princess had roughly shoved down her elbows before they even graced the surface, but never let Erika trip. Before it could occur, Anneliese had taken her by the chin and held them eye to eye, her voice stern but wonderful.

“I know it seems silly, but a dinner isn’t so much unlike a performance. The audience look wherever they feel and make any conclusions they wish. You have to look your best, or they will stop paying attention.”

Had Anneliese been there, diligently standing behind her, it wouldn’t even have come to that. Erika wasn’t sure what kept her away, or why she had not been here, waiting for her return. It was so unlike her, so untrue to the Anneliese she knew.

If she knew her at all.

Once she made it to the wig, pushing her fingers under the front to heist it off, two short raps knocked on the door. Precise and sound, like a sure decision.

Erika took an extra second to slip her fingers out and check the reflection for any slipups before she dared speak.

“Who knocks?” she asked.

She scolded herself for using the wrong response, but normally Anneliese was there to open the door for her. Usually it was just servants, but the knocking felt wrong for that. She was soon proved right, as the handle turned slowly, and a large male form appeared. In the low light, he could have been mistaken for a real threat, but despite the feigned smile she put on as she recognized the King, the knots in her stomach looked at it no differently.

“My king,” she said, rising from the vanity chair only to stop and curtsey him. “What brings the honor of your presence,” she shot a quick glance out the door behind him, finding the hallway empty, “alone?”

No guards, no court, no fussy nobles ready to compliment the king´s every cough and burp, not that he did much of either. He was every bit as perfect as Erika had been promised, and now he was here, in her chamber, alone.

He gifted her a soft smile, so much like the one he’d grant her before making a suggestion to spend more time together, alone.

“Dear Princess Anneliese, I must admit I was disappointed to watch you leave so soon after dinner. I hope I’m not intruding on anything, but I was worried something may be wrong. You were terribly quiet all evening.”

Because Anneliese hadn’t been there. Because the warming presence of the real princess hadn’t soothed her insecurity. Because she was agonized to sit in the presence of people powerful enough to make her death seem insignificant. 

But Erika said none of that, because for everything Anneliese had taught her, there was one thing she’d left out the once-pauper knew better than any.

How to lie.

“Apologies if I worried you, your majesty. I got a terrible migraine before dinner and it only worsened overtime.”

“Goodness, I had no idea! Should I send for a doctor?” He walked closer to her, his hands coming up with some concern, but she was quick to back away, so he stopped.

“No, none of that. It got better once I returned here.”

Relief pooled his face. “Wonderful. I’d hate to know you were in pain, princess.”

Erika bid him a smile, happy to know her excuse was bought. Knowing that the King probably had more on mind than just checking on her, she invited him to go stand at the balcony with her and take in some fresh night air. He took the invitation gladly and walked beside her to the end of the chamber, offering to open the colored glass doors, and bowing gentlemanly for her to walk outside first. She responded with a curtsy and another smile, then took the few steps out on the balcony.

Cold air hit her face. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, sucking in the feeling as she felt the presence of the King coming up beside her. Once she opened her eyes, she noted the respectable distance he kept, but not so much that he could not reach her.

She put her hands on the rail, loving the icy feel against her hot hands. She wished she could melt away like snow at the end of winter, knowing it meant the earth would regrow. If it meant the plan would succeed, she’d gladly vanish among the flowerbeds.

Erika looked at the king, expecting him to be looking back, but his eyes were on the expanse of his kingdom. He seemed so very far away, lost in thoughts she couldn’t reach.

“What does it look like to you,” he asked, “when you look upon your land and the people you reign?”

“What it looks like? Twain is a small kingdom my lord, there’s little to see.”

“Hm,” he said, eyes still trained on the horizon.

Erika tried to watch where he was looking, see if she might catch what had prompted this in his mind.

The veil of darkness hadn’t draped itself over the lands yet, the sky still a color of deep purple with strands of orange reaching through. It wouldn’t be long until the trees and buildings were nothing but black splotches in the distance.

“Does it feel too small?” the King continued. “Would you like it to grow?”

“Well,” she said, mind racing to think of a fitting answer. She had to please him, but also learn more about his stand. It was the perfect opportunity, and she could be blowing it. She was not raised in skirts of silk the same way these people were, but she knew how easily those threads broke. “It’s the place I grew up, but it has suffered much these past years, so I worry what will become of it.”

Now he looked at her, nodding solemnly as a serious expression came over him. “I worry for my kingdom as well. My father ruled it for many years in peace and prosperity, and I wish to continue that in his honor, but I sometimes find myself straying from his wishes.”

“Straying how?”

Seeming to relax a little more, the king had leaned his elbows on the rail and dropped his shoulders. He felt less focused, wasn’t looking around as much. Like he had no judging eyes to worry about.

“Well, he had very clear plans for me. Most of all, he wished to see me marry before he passed, and of course that didn’t happen.”

“I don’t imagine he’s disappointed, you’re still young, and you’re doing well.”

“I suppose.”

Erika let go of the railing, turning so she could look inside the chamber and keep an eye on the door. If Anneliese came sneaking in now, she wanted to see it before the King. She leaned her back on the rail, so she’d only have to turn her head to look at him, but just as he was fixated with his darkening kingdom, she longed only to see the door open unannounced.

The King sighed.

“My lord?” Erika asked, hoping she hadn’t done something wrong again.

“Please, when we’re alone, just call me Dominic.”

Erika´s heart jumped into her throat. It had taken forever to stop calling Anneliese by formal titles, even when they were alone. She knew this would be even harder.

Instead of daring to answer, she nodded to him. He nodded back but seemed no less different.

He looked ahead again, and Erika at the door.

“You are not the first princess to try and court me, but you’re certainly the first who seemed entirely uninterested in my company.”

Erika jumped out of her position and skirted around to face him. “Please my king – I mean, D-dominic! I’m very interested in your company, and you are certainly not a boring man, things have just been – I have only –“

He held up a hand, silencing her, then stood up straight and faced her. “Anneliese, I understood before you arrived that your kingdom might be forcing you to fulfill a duty you may not want.”

Erika closed her mouth, looking at the ground as her face grew red. It sounded exactly like something Anneliese would say, maybe he was indeed perfect for her.

“Not just that, you seem distressed with this whole ordeal. Was this trip even your idea? Usually, I visit the kingdom I intend to ally, not the other way around. You’d be living here with me if we marry, after all.”

Erika kept quiet, sucking in her lips like she’d bitten a lemon. She felt his eyes on her, burning into the wig. The king was onto something, maybe not the truth, but he wasn’t blind.

Then, he raised a hand to put on her shoulder, and she looked up with sudden shock to the feeling of his warm touch. He immediately pulled the hand away.

“Sorry!” he said, “I just – are you sure you’re well?”

Erika could not help it. So much had been on her shoulders this past week, Anneliese was gone after freezing her out for days, and now the King was here, asking and asking and asking, and his touch was the first friendly feeling in days.

She burst into tears.

“Oh, goodness, oh no,” the king said, followed by many other such worried words, but he did not move out of his spot. Where Erika had longed for gentle hands leading her to bed, sitting her down and holding her until she’d shed every tear; the king stood across her and waited instead.

Perhaps that was for the best. His comfort wasn’t right. His hands weren’t the ones she wanted.

She sucked in a deep breath, feeling like she’d stood and cried in front of the king for hours. She dried her eyes in her pink frilly sleeves – knowing very well what it did to the fabric – and met his eyes straight.

King Dominic seemed very off-put. Very uncomfortable and awkward, still just stood there watching her. It was starting to feel annoying.

“Would you like me to leave?” he asked gently.

Erika didn’t know what to tell him. Yes? Please leave me alone and please stop being so important to my friend? She hated that he’d just stood there while she cried. What was a king worth if he couldn’t handle his subjects at their lowest? How could he ever understand their pain when he stumbled to even recognize hers? Erika looked at the door again, and the anger for the king became directed at herself.

“It’s so silly, isn’t it?” she asked, not him, but just asking it. “We have so many choices to make in life, all these grand and important decisions that shape our future, and yet the things we fret about the most are so small.”

She didn’t care if it didn’t make sense to him. She just stood there smiling at her little hopes and dreams, with her cheeks still wet and red and hurting. But he was not confused at all.

“Yes, quite silly,” he said, looking down, “Silly indeed.”

She looked back at him. “Do you want to marry?”

“You?” he seemed surprised.

Erika went even redder. “No – I mean – your father, you said he wished you married. You have plenty women wishing for your hand, why haven’t you just picked one?”

“He, wanted to be sure I settled down and was able to secure heirs.”

“And you?”

“Me?”

“Are you interested in doing that?”

Dominic scratched his head, seeming more awkward than before. “It would be good for the kingdom. Heirs would secure its future.”

“You’re still so young though, and you’re already doing so much for your people. Is it really so important right now that you marry?”

He smiled a little smugly, like he’d solved the puzzle. “Are you trying to tell me something, princess?”

“I’m trying to get to know you,” Erika said, which wasn’t exactly a lie, but also a little bit was. “Were I to spend my life with you, I’d like to know if you sought marriage out of want or necessity.”

“Everything we do it out of necessity.”

He sounded crestfallen. Sounded just like Anneliese when discussing this plan and the responsibility she had to her people. Erika didn’t need his word to understand that this was merely another step in his lifepath he had to take. She wondered if all royalty felt this way about marriage, of it was never about love for them.

She shook her head and gestured to go back inside.

“Sit with me,” she said, leading him to the end of the bed. He sat down with a questioning look.

“Princess, if this wasn’t already a little risky, you’re truly stepping the line.”

“Oh, stop it. We’re adults, we can sit and talk like such and not fall into sudden traps of affliction, can’t we?”

Dominic burst into a bigger smile, even chuckling. “Well, can we?”

She sputtered, his sudden silly joy rubbing off on her. Now he laughed too, giving in to the easy air between them and allowing himself to boast his voice through the room. It was all so silly. So very silly and stupid. Here she was, months ago she was singing on the street in secret to earn extra coin, and now she sat in a dress worth more than her funeral and made jokes with a king. What had her life become? Surely her parents never imagined this for her.

Once the laughing fit calmed down, old tears replaced with new – these borne from laughter and dumb joy – Dominic stood up from the bed again and began to wander around the room.

“I used to visit the guest chambers often, actually,” he explained, laying a hand on a pillar holding up the roof, smiling to himself.

“Hiding from your father?” Erika teased, still sitting on the bed.

He shook his head. “No, he always knew where I was. No one kept secrets from that man. He personally hired every member of the staff and council – their loyalty was clear.” The hand slipped down a little, his smile following but not fading yet. “Sometimes I just needed peace. As a boy, he let me have it. Once a man, he was concerned I was sneaking women in here.”

Erika made a fake surprised face. “Oh dear, were you?”

“No,” he said, taking a better hold of the pillar and casually swinging around it, catching her eyes as he came around, “No women set foot with me here. I told him just that.”

“Did he believe you?”

He smiled again, letting go of the pillar and leaning his back on it instead. “He said it was normal for a young man to sneak around the skirts, so long as I had no accidents.”

Erika giggled. “A very different speech from what I got.”

“Oh, right.”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t need any warnings to know the consequences of straying.”

“So, you have no experience with men?”

She smiled playfully. “Never been with a man.”

“And the Queen believed you?”

This time Erika didn’t have to fake her shock. She grabbed a throw pillow and used it just as so, hurling it at Dominic, who didn’t manage to jump for safety and got whacked on the chest.

“Hey! You’re assaulting royalty!”

“No, I’m throwing pillows at Dominic, who should know how to speak to a lady.”

He picked up the pillow and gently tossed it back to her, responding with a ‘alright, you got me there’ kind of face.

The causal conversation was cut short though, as a servant knocked on the door, asking if the princess had seen the King anywhere.

“No one has seen him the past hour my lady, so we were wondering if you knew –“

Dominic sauntered up and opened the door himself, casting the fear of god on the poor young girl sent to pass the message.

“I’ll return to the court now,” he said, now with more control of his posture and voice, “I was merely checking on the Princess to see if she was well. Princess Anneliese, are you well?”

“Quite fine, my lord King.”

He gave her a last smile before bidding his formal farewell, with a small wink the servant couldn’t see, then left.

Feeling lighter than she had in days, Erika decided it was best just to go to bed, and hope that tomorrow Anneliese would brighten up with the news of progress she’d just made with Dominic. Erika was sure she’d be overjoyed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohoo, but will she come back at all tho?? thats the real question

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos feeds my ego


End file.
